Can Social Computing Networks Be Used to Engage and Retain - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Can Social Computing Networks Be Used to Engage and Retain Students? Presenter: Dr. Charles W. Mattis Dean of the First-Year Program Abilene Christian University Contributors: Dr. Jason Morris McNair Scholars Program Abilene Christian University Dr. Richard Beck Professor of Psychology Abilene Christian University

• The proliferation of social computing networks on college campuses has generated numerous questions in multiple areas about the effects of computer- mediated social interaction: – Psychological – Interpersonal – Social – Cultural

• Additional questions being asked by higher education: – “should we encourage student involvement in these networks?” – “should the institution become involved itself in online networks?” – “does a students’ involvement enable them to be more engaged with the community?” – “does a students’ involvement enhance their probability of remaining at the institution?”

Overview of Presentation • Purpose and need for the study • Theoretical framework (Tinto’s Model of Student Departure) • Social networking and college students • The research design • Preliminary results of this study • Implications for practice • Suggestions for future research

Purpose of the study • The primary purpose of this study is to elaborate on Tinto’s construct of social integration. This study will attempt to measure social integration by assessing first-year students’ activity on the social computing system known as Facebook.

Purpose of the study This purpose will be accomplished through three research objectives: 1. Operationalizing a social integration measure by quantifying student activity on Facebook. 2. Testing the ability of the new social integration measure (Facebook activity) to predict freshman to sophomore retention in first-year students at a private four-year institution. 3. Comparing the effectiveness of this new measure of social integration to more traditional measures of social integration.

Additional Institutional Benefit • To enhance ongoing institutional research by graduate students of Psychology into social computing networks including “e-connections”, “e-personality”, “e-spirituality”, “e-hypocrisy” and “e-flirtation”.

Need for the Study • Despite the ever-growing popularity of Facebook empirical research is slowly beginning to catch up on this subject. • This study potentially provides a new tool to measure social integration. • First-year advocates are constantly looking for tools to enhance community within their campus...can Facebook be one of these tools? • This approach is appropriate for learning more about students who are a part of the “connected generation.”

Models and Theories • The development of explanatory conceptual models has significantly contributed to the understanding of student retention and attrition. In the literature, four models of student retention have been widely discussed and explored. – Spady (1970) – Tinto (1975) (1987) and (1993) – Pascarella, Duby, and Iverson (1983) – Bean and Metzner (1985)

Theoretical Framework: Tinto’s Model of Student Departure – Tinto revised and updated his model in 1993. – This model attempts to explain why some individuals leave institutions prior to degree completion. – The central proposition of this theory is that students have various pre-entry attributes that interact with, and integrate into, the academic and social systems of the institution.

Theoretical Framework: Tinto’s Model of Student Departure – Tinto (1993) postulates that these interactions either lead to positive (integrative) experiences that heighten intentions and commitment to the institution or lead to negative (malintegrative) experiences that weaken intentions and commitment to the institution.

Tinto’s (1993) Model of Student Departure

The Internet: Bringing people together virtually or pushing them apart physically?

Social networking and college students • Facebook has emerged in a few short years as the newest tool in connecting students with each other. • Benefits: Gain familiarity with students and peers as well as familiarity with a university prior to attendance; Provides opportunities for first-year students to engage the campus community; and provides an outlet for distributing information within the campus community. • Concerns: Privacy issues and use of material for monitoring and patrolling student behavior.

Social networking and college students Recruitment and Retention in Higher Education, April 2006 (20)4. • “Facebook is emerging as the newest tool in engaging students and aiding retention, particularly that of first-year students.” • “…administrators are using Facebook to connect with students openly and efficiently.”

Social networking and college students Recruitment and Retention in Higher Education, April 2006 (20)4. Primary Uses: • Increasing engagement and community • Building relationships with faculty and administrators • Connecting with freshman and freshman parents before they arrive

Social networking and college students • Facebook was launched in February of 2004 by Harvard undergraduate Mark Zuckerberg in an effort to help college students control their image. • Ranks as the 6th most trafficked site in the U.S., and as the top photo-sharing site. • Today there are over 4 million registered users covering over 2,000 campuses with nearly ¾ of Facebook users signing on at least once every 24 hrs.

How Facebook Works • Internet-based social networking services (ISNS) can be used to connect people with messages, pictures and thematic groups. • Friends are made on Facebook by (1) a user sending an invitation to another to be his/her “friend” and (2) the recipient accepting the invitation. • Users are able to paint their own self-portrait with self-descriptions and photographs while viewing the portraits of their friends and associates.

The research design • In order to determine a student’s level of activity, which for the purpose of this study equates to institutional involvement, certain elements of the Facebook network were taken into consideration in order to quantify the level of a student’s activity. • The initial research took place in three data points: 1) self-reporting survey of the 2006-2007 freshman class, 2) data capture by the graduate research team, and 3) the input of the fall to spring retention rates into SPSS and analysis.

The research design Data point 1 • The freshman class was asked to participate in the study by completing Tinto’s traditional social integration survey that included questions about their perception of their social integration on campus. We added three questions of our own regarding Facebook usage.

Survey Questions (based on Tinto’s model) 1) In the past academic year, approximately how many hours per week, on the average, did you spend in organized extra-curricular activities? 2) The student friendships I have developed this past year have been personally satisfying. 3) I have developed close personal relationships with other students. 4) My interpersonal relationships with other students have had a positive influence on my personal growth, values and attitudes.

Survey Questions 5) My interpersonal relationships with other students have had a positive influence on my intellectual growth and interest in ideas. 6) It has been difficult for me to meet and make friends with other students. 7) Few of the ACU students I know would be willing to listen to me and help me if I had a personal problem. 8) Most students at ACU have values and attitudes which are different from my own.

Additional Facebook Usage Questions 9)Please fill in the space with the appropriate numbers: I spend ___ HOURS and/or ____MINUTES on Facebook during a TYPICAL day. 10) Do you feel that Facebook has helped you make friends and feel connected here at ACU (check one)? ___Yes ___No 11) Which of the following do you use Facebook for most often (check one): _____Connect with people AT ACU ____Connect with people NOT AT ACU

The research design Data Point 2 • Number of Friends • Number of Wall Posts • Number of Photo Albums • Number of Groups

The research design Data point 3 • Preliminary retention results from Fall 2006 to Spring 2007. • A second analysis will be done in September on retention results from Spring 2007 to Fall 2007.

Preliminary results of this study Tinto Social Table 1: Correlations between Intergration Facebook indices and Tinto’s Facebook Indices: Social Integration # of ACU Facebook Friends .18** • Tinto’s Social Integration # of Groups .09 measure was significantly (albeit weakly) associated with # of Wall Posts .16** three of the Facebook indices: Friends, wall-posts, and photo # of Photo Albums .10* albums. In short, as predicted the self-report and Facebook *p < .05 **p < .01 measures of social integration show a degree convergence.